Does anyone know if china makes a dual sport with a engine larger than 250cc.
I am glad to hear some good reports on the Chinese bikes. Maybe they will make the main mfgrs get their pricing more reasonable. I remember when kawasaki first started selling in the US. They had a great price point and a decent although 2 stroke engine. Did not take them long to be a major contender in the market.
Xr250l 1996 1100 actual miles on it and just trying to get it set up for touring. So far I have a windsheild, tank bag,saddlebags and tail bag.. I still need a rack and a bigger gas tank.
Chuck

Yes, the Chinese are now manufacturing several dual sport motorcycles with engines larger than 250cc displacement. However, none of these motorcycles are being exported to North America. The motorcycle in this class which interests me the most is the Shineray X5, which probably employs a faithful copy of the Honda NX400 engine, which is an XR400R engine with an electric starter.

However, it's apparent to me Honda is now seriously competing with the Chinese in the world market for small displacement, dual sport motorcycles. With an MSRP of $4,499, I would purchase a new, Honda CRF250L before I bought a Chinese bike. When I purchased my Zongshen 200GY-2 for $950, new, in-the-crate, it was an exceptional value. However, I'm convinced the golden days of inexpensive, Chinese, dual sport motorcycles are past.

I believe that they do now, but I bet Spud Rider will comment on that, and he really knows about this subject.

I want to get another dual sport bike, and on the Big Island of Hawaii prices are pretty crazy on new and many used bikes. J. P. Motorsports in San Diego sells the Qlinks, and I could have one shipped to Hilo from Pasha in San Diego for not too much. They want well over $5000 here for a new Honda CRL250F.

I'm going to do a search to see if the ZongShen motorcycles are still available in the US. Spud Rider's has been a good machine for him.

Zongshen is no longer manufacturing my Sierra 200GY-2. However, the QLink 200XP, manufactured by Qingqi, is an excellent little motorcycle, and it will serve you well. The Chinese are also exporting some 250cc, dual sport bikes to the United States. However, I would compare the price of any Chinese bike to the price of the new, Honda CRF250L. Since it is manufactured in Thailand, the CRF250L is being sold at a very competitive price, and represents an excellent value.

Confusing messages regarding the Honda CRF250L. First claimed to be priced at less than 4000 euro, it's now advertised at 4,490 euro.
Would still be the cheapest of the Japanese bikes. Arriving july 2013 over here.

Weird!
I lived in Westport/Aberdeen from age 4-20.
All my family on my mothers side is still in that area.
Aberdeen sucks, but I prefer it over the city I'm in now.

Really enjoying this thread, owning a DR200 and all.
I want to someday take I-5 from here to Olympia...
Dad's already told me "That bike is too small, and too weak for that"
Now I have to do it!

Ha Ha Ha! That's funny. I grew up in So Cal, all my family is still there and I'm itching to go back!

I'm heading that way in a few weeks to see my family and do a little work at my Mom's house. Will be sticking the Sherpa, my "09 KLX250s and 09 KLR650 in the trailer to do a 3 or 4 day runaround with my brother and 2 of our nephews.

I-5 is a tough ride for our smaller displacement bikes, though a lot of folks have done it. Not sure what part of Cal you're in, but 99 is a great alternative for the wet side, and 395 for the dry. I've done 395 a few times now, and I love it! One of my favorite side trips off 395 has been the "Bodie Loop", going in via the turnout from 395, going through Bodie and taking the dirt road to the NW out and just meandering along. GREAT high country riding, plenty of solitude and stealth camps galore. Absolutely beautiful, and your DR would be perfect up there!

Let me know if you decide to head up this way. We'll get your bike up on the lift, serviced and make sure it'll get you back in one piece!

These are all from the Bodie Loop. The route I took dumped me out north of Bishop, I think... Don't remember that well. I was all over the place on that trip

I have a 250, and am located in Rainier. Outside of Olympia. I'm not sure how much longer I'll have it as I've got a buddy looking at it to learn how to ride. However, I'm always down to ride. Whether on my 250 or 650. Pm me if your interested.

Definitely! I've been hitting Gifford Pinchot Nat'l Forest the last two years, and did the south 1/3 of WABDR on the Sherpa last year, only had the weekend to ride, but am really tempted to do WABDR from the north, then hit the ORBDR.

I know... Long way to go, but what the heck, you only live once, right? Why make it easy???

I had been interested in getting a small dual sport motorcycle for about 5 years before I got a tu250 last September not exactly what I originally wanted but I love it for comuting the 26 miles back and forth to work. The traffic runs about 75 on the posted 65 highways so im running almost wot everyday which im glad the tu does great doing that or it would double the time it takes to get to work. After looking at this thread I realize i really dont get out enough some of these pictures are so beautiful! so basically I am really wanting a dual sport again I love the tw200 but living in Arizona in a giant valley any where I go its 65 or 75 mph up pretty big incline mountains to get to any roads that you can really enjoy a slower less hilly joy ride, so I would almost be stuck with a 400cc range. And because the elevation around here is around 2000ft going up to 5000 to 7000 ft I think I would need FI. I have never owned any thing with a carb other than a 150cc scooter that I just road around town, so I don't know what you can get away with on a carb.

Nice looking KLR650 there in the photos. I rode an older style 2005 for about 15,000 miles. It was my daily transportation. But I never took it off road. A KLR650 is certainly a pig in any rough stuff. But what I loved about that bike, was, the ergonomics were just perfect for me. I would have dove on to that bike and rode it across the US and back without hesitation.

The stock muffler on the CRF250L is huge! You can easily lose 8 pounds by switching to an aftermarket muffler.

Substitute a LiFePO4 (Lithium Iron Phosphate) battery for the lead-acid battery, and you are easily under 300 pounds, which is comparable to either the Yamaha WR250R or the Kawasaki KLX250S.

Earlier, I was comparing the Honda CRF250L to the Chinese motorcycles. All of the Chinese bikes are heavy for their size. Therefore, considering the low price of the CRF250L, I consider the high-tech, fuel injected Honda a better value.

I should have gone to the Suzuki site for specs, I used a wikipedia reference which was a lot lower.

I'm sure the Honda is a nice bike, FI is a nice improvement. Swapping out the exhaust & battery to shave weight isn't cheap, but would make a big difference in off-road handling. For street mostly riding the added weight wouldn't be so bad, and will even help a bit when dealing with crosswinds.

If I wanted a small bike that handled the highway I would get a WR250R without even thinking twice. Big gas tank, seat, and luggage, and you're set.

For carbed bikes, the way I handle all the elevation changes I go thru (from about 4k to 10k) I jetted for the lower elev and open up my airbox when I'm at the higher elevs. The higher elev riding isn't real fast so maximum HP isn't really necessary. -al

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rhompin45

I had been interested in getting a small dual sport motorcycle for about 5 years before I got a tu250 last September not exactly what I originally wanted but I love it for comuting the 26 miles back and forth to work. The traffic runs about 75 on the posted 65 highways so im running almost wot everyday which im glad the tu does great doing that or it would double the time it takes to get to work. After looking at this thread I realize i really dont get out enough some of these pictures are so beautiful! so basically I am really wanting a dual sport again I love the tw200 but living in Arizona in a giant valley any where I go its 65 or 75 mph up pretty big incline mountains to get to any roads that you can really enjoy a slower less hilly joy ride, so I would almost be stuck with a 400cc range. And because the elevation around here is around 2000ft going up to 5000 to 7000 ft I think I would need FI. I have never owned any thing with a carb other than a 150cc scooter that I just road around town, so I don't know what you can get away with on a carb.